Undoubtedly the most expensive SPAM on the planet. And $3.50 for a mini can of corned beef hash! Taken at the local "gourmet" grocery store.

Since he will be leaving soon, Adam wanted to take a picture with this nice waitress at the restaurant, but she was camera shy and refused. So I had to sneak a shot. Click. Another soul stolen for the sake of western civ.

This is the best restaurant in Kyushu, Yokayokatei. Everything from bibinba noodles to tonkatsu, teppan yaki, and raw horse sashimi - all divine. Plus, we were stared by the people at the next table for speaking in English, so I conspicuously picked my nose and flicked boogers in their general direction.

All the photos I took at Kikuchi gorge came out foggy because of the blanket of mist that lingered over it all day. This was the pool we started out at, jumping off the end of the fallen log.

Natural waterslides at Kikuchi gorge.

I have found over the past month that a black cat is one of the most difficult subjects to photograph, especially if it somehow always gravitates toward black backgrounds, for instance, my black rucksack resting on the asphalt. At night.

Possibly the most disturbing strawberries on a cake that I have ever seen. The fluorescent lights and the polarized glass caused the weird bars to appear in the photo. Too cool.

New arcade game employing toy wakizashi as controller.

Adam said this ceiling adornment was cool; I said it looked vaginal. We are both right, I think.

The Kix mascot at the mall across from the terminal building. I dubbed him "Flappy."

Interesting display for Honmaguro in seafood section at Jusco.

Amazing Japan Factoid of the Day: In Japan, you can run your fingers under the bar without getting grossed out because NOBODY STICKS GUM ON THE BOTTOM OF BARS OR TABLES. Hypochondriacs, unite.

See my chopstick art. See what Merin will look like at 40.

I have no idea where the flux capacitors or whatever this refers to were located, but this sign says, "recharging."

Electric pole in front of Taro's house.

Pictured here is a slice of Yubari melon, the most expensive melon in the world, just before consumption. Yum.

Certainly something I had never seen before. The accordion is an antique Excelsior, which probably costs 15 times more than the yukata the girl is dressed in.

This year's vote for the most pitiful amusement park in Japan, on the top of Ikoma mountain.

Yomiuri Television's massive broadcast tower located in the middle of the amusement park can be seen from miles around. I could just feel my sperm wilting like poisoned tadpoles.

I slept next to this motorized cat doll, which would periodically mewl and walk in circles while its eyes lit up red. Or maybe it was all just a bad dream.

The filters on my new phonecam are sparse, but this one works pretty well.

In Japan, they often use these life-sized plastic highway worker effigies to direct motorists around road crews where a simple light would suffice. I always feel like abducting these insane dolls when I see them, maybe drag them behind my car for a few kilos then let them smash into a toll booth - after all, it is our tolls that are paying for this crap.

Parking area in Iga, infamous ninja country. FYI, they don't sell real ninja weapons in the gift shop.

Just me, or is it a bit tacky?

I may have blogged about this sign in front of a Amemura love hotel before, but I can't be bothered to check if it was on the old Yapeus site or on this one. Oh, well. Always worth a quick guffaw.

This is the shop that caused the Great Eggtart Craze of 2002, located between Nanpabashi and Midosuji. We bought an 8-pack for 15 bucks with the intention of taking them on our Nagoya road trip, but forgot them in Merin's refrigerator. Nam tried one the week after and got the runs, so the rest were trashed. Damn.

I looked around the building's parking garage for a fleet of lowered Impalas - no luck.

Yoda curling around a rain gutter pipe outside the vet's office.

Nam and Merin in the rain. That dot up on the hill is Kochi Castle.

We happened upon a dance exhibition in the shotengai...

I have no idea what this store is... I could have read the signs on the door, but it just felt better to keep it a mystery. Maybe there's a receptionist inside mumbling about shrimp gumbo, shrimp stew, shrimp burger...